8 comments:

It's not a ramble. It's brilliant. I've been meaning to read that book myself. I love Murakami.

And I've been struggling with trying to adjust to a normal schedule to enjoy as much daylight i can while i draw. Perhaps i'll stay up 24 hours. I have so many ideas and paintings to finish, hope i don't run out of green tea.

I love this book! It was really nice to read his experiences, it's what has inspired me to run infact was this book.So much so that he says in the beginning "pain is inevitable, suffering is optional". I had it engraved on my ipod for running as a constant reminder.

Like you I want to keep the clarity of the mind and focus.I hope you enjoy the rest of the book!

this post could not come at a better time for me! thank you for your 'rambling' ^_^ i will check out the book too, thank you!I admire your work but mostly i admire how human you are (if that makes sense at all)

I wanted to ask, and I hope it's not to personal. Are you a working artist, and what I mean is, do you have another job besides making your art? Or are you a student perhaps? Or is your job, making your art? My goal is to one day be able to paint/art all day, like you. How are you able to do this all day, and how can I get there too? :)If I need to marry rich, I'll get on that! ^_^

@Gina Gwen I am a full time artist now but in the beginning I did work on the side along with painting, like many artists do. Unfortunately when this becomes your full time job you don't always get to make draw and paint all day as you like. Much of other things need attention too, mostly the logistical, business side of things... And maintaining the consistency of being a full time artist isn't fun either... All I can say is to keep drawing/painting with all your heart without contrivance & enjoy every bit of it before it becomes your job too because sometimes that's better.

Artists, especially those dedicated solely to art making as a source of income, often end up having to mold their own lives like an abstract clay, which takes a certain amount of creative effort. Even though we might recognize that we have this freedom to create ourselves and our day, we don't always want to take responsability to do so. It's easier to unconsciously go about our days/nights, letting them unfold intuitively, responding to what arises rather than planning. There's a certain amount of romance that goes along with living an unstructured life that makes it more acceptable,too... the crazy artist stereotype.

Oscillating between doing what feels natural in the moment and trying to live a rigid routine, we have to find a way to achieve a balance that is emotionally healthy and productive. I once read a helpful tip somewhere that you have to remind yourself of what's important /every day/. So, in practice that means: wake up in the morning, grab your coffee and then spend a minute reflecting on the few fundamental answers you've discovered in your life and how you'll apply them to your day... It sounds easy but it's definitely not!

I stumbled upon your blog after a long absence, and I really enjoy your rambly posts! Yes, I agree- as an artist, routine and ritual is, ironically, really important for me. I like to get all my chores out of the way and stick to a 3-meal-sleep-during-night (no matter how much I want to stay up till 2am drawing) plan. It helps me balance sanity/school/art! I find everything falls into place as long as I keep a kind of structure :) And keeping healthy is *vital*, I realise... There are periods post finishing a series that you're just creatively exhausted and you need a week or so to unwind/concentrate on themes not as dark or penetrating.

Seeing the subject matter I explore sometimes feel so intense, dark, and deep, this is what keeps me from going insane, I think!